Important Coronavirus (COVID-19) update for all customers – changes to physical auction buying arrangements

• Physical auctions will be Simulcast only from Monday 23rd March
• Simulcast (and Manheim Online) fees waived from Thursday 19th March
• Auction halls will be closed to account holders and public from Monday
• Controlled handover locations in place to limit physical contact
• Auction calendar remains as planned; fresh stock continues to arrive daily

In navigating our way through the challenges presented by COVID-19, we are monitoring the advice from the UK Government and following their recommended actions. The recent social distancing, mass gathering, and travel guidelines have led us to review how best to operate our physical auction programme.

Accordingly, we have taken the decision that, from Monday 23rd March, purchasing at all Manheim UK physical auctions will only be available by Simulcast for Manheim account holders on a temporary basis. Members of the public will no longer be able to attend or buy at the auction whilst these restrictions remain in place. We believe that this change is the right thing to do as a temporary measure as the health, safety and well-being of our employees, customers and partners remains our top priority.

Simulcast
Simulcast is our award-winning tool which enables simultaneous bidding for vehicles online as they are offered in the physical auction lane. Full vehicle details, static images, grade information and condition reports are available in advance of the auction and there is live video and audio streaming as the vehicle is presented for sale by the live auctioneer. Bids can be submitted in advance via the proxy-bidding functionality and Simulcast can be accessed via your PC, tablet or smartphone. Please note that a key benefit of Simulcast is the ability to ‘attend’ multiple auction centres or auction lanes concurrently online.

Many of our vehicles have the added assurance of SureCheck our pre-auction inspection service that gives you more peace of mind. It’s a non-invasive, multi-point mechanical check which lets you know more about the vehicle you’re looking at before you buy.

If you need more information on how to use Simulcast then please go to manheim.co.uk/simulcast where there is a helpful video. To access Simulcast you need your manheim.co.uk username and password. If you require assistance please contact your local branch or Buyer Services on 0333 136 1750.

Simulcast fees
Effective from 19th March, the additional Simulcast buyer fee has been waived to make the transition to digital as easy as possible for customers. This concession also applies to any vehicles acquired from Manheim Online.

Vendor representation
Vendor Online enables sellers to attend online and put vehicles on sale as if there in person. More details are available on the website or through your account manager.

Auction programme
All our auction centres are open and we will continue with the scheduled programme at each location. Vehicles will be driven through the auction lanes as usual and there will be a live auctioneer on the rostrum but no buyers permitted in the auction hall.

Arrivals & collections
This decision also means that there are restrictions on customers coming on site to make payments or collect vehicles. At each auction centre, there will be a controlled “handover” location for any physical paperwork/payment exchange and for vehicle collection. Please remember that we can also take care of delivery and if you are a NextGear customer the payment process is seamless. There is no change to payment arrangements but on making payment please contact the auction centre to provide an indication of when you would like to collect your vehicle(s) so we can make the process as efficient as possible. Customers will not be permitted on site to inspect vehicles and all queries need to be addressed by phone or email.

Other online channels
In addition to the physical auction programme we will be running more “virtual’ auctions and online only events to increase the amount of stock available to purchase. Check the website for more details as these sales are announced. Manheim account provides access to Manheim Online vehicles and to access more stock online go to Dealer Auction, the UK’s largest online wholesale only marketplace with vehicles available now (dealerauction.co.uk).

We regret that this course of action is necessary. We are closely monitoring this fast-developing situation and will continue to act in the most appropriate way for our employees, customers, and partners in line with the UK Government’s guidelines. Work has been underway in the background to ensure that the technology infrastructure will support these changes and operationally we are ready. We appreciate that although there is no financial penalty from using our online channels, these changes will cause inconvenience.

Despite this situation, there is a high volume of fresh stock arriving daily and we are continuing to collect, inspect, prepare, auction and deliver vehicles as normal. For more help please contact a member of the team or Buyer Services on 0333 136 1750 (via email buyerservices@manheim.co.uk).

On a personal note, please be assured that myself and the team are committed to keeping the wholesale market moving and are working together with our customers during this unprecedented situation.

Thank you.

Martin Forbes,
CEO, Cox Automotive UK